y=mx+c

Here we will learn about y = mx + c including how to recognise the gradient and y -intercept from the equation y = mx + c and rearrange an equation into the standard form of y = mx + c .

There are also y = mx + c worksheets based on Edexcel, AQA and OCR exam questions, along with further guidance on where to go next if you’re still stuck.

What is y=mx+c?

The equation y = mx + c is the general equation of any straight line where m is the gradient of the line (how steep the line is) and c is the y -intercept (the point in which the line crosses the y -axis).

y = mx + c is a linear equation and the variables x and y relate to coordinates on the line.
When we input a value for x into the equation y = mx + c , we get a result for y .
This means that x is an independent variable, and y is a dependent variable as it is determined by the value of x .

Let’s look at the line y = 2x + 1 .

This graph has a gradient of 2 and a y-intercept of 1 , the coordinate (0,1).

• The term linear is used to describe a straight line where the variables are raised to a power no higher than 1
• If the variables are raised to a power no higher than 2 we refer to it as a quadratic
• If the variables are raised to a power no higher than 3 we refer to it as a cubic, and so on.